07 Ueno／上野

Ueno Station had been the gateway to Tohoku and Hokkaido (the northern part of Japan) until 1991, when the Tohoku and Joetsu Shinkansen extended to Tokyo station and Ueno station ceased to be the starting station.  The first subway in Japan was opened in 1927 between Ueno station and Asakusa station.

Ueno Park opened in 1873 at the site where Kaneiji temple was established in 1625 as a temple Tokugawa Shogun Family and the Tokugawa shogunate army and the Meiji restoration army fought a battle in 1868.  There are seven museums, two concert halls and a zoological garden in Ueno Park.

Ameya-Yokocho is a shopping area between Ueno station and Okachimachi station.  After the World War II when all goods were in short supply, people rushed to grocery stores including candy stores (Ameya in Japanese) and American Army surplus stores opened in this area, and the area was named Ameya-Yokocho (Yokocho means side street).  In the recent years, the number of all kinds of ethnic restaurants in this area has been increasing.

After the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657, many temples and craftsmen and merchants of Buddhist alters and fittings moved to the east area of Ueno Station.  Even now, there are more than 40 stores of Buddhist alters and fittings in this area along the main street connecting Ueno and Asakusa.

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